The countdown is underway for one of the country’s most intense obstacle courses, as Adare to Survive 2017 organisers launched its fifth annual challenge.

The popular event looks to attract more than 1,200 new contenders and survivors to the military-style course at Clonshire Equestrian Centre in the historic West Limerick village.

Celebrating their fifth anniversary on September 24, Adare to Survive 2017 event director Ray Nash said; “We have had five great years and the event is growing from strength to strength, and we are looking forward to another great year this year.”

He continued: “It is all about the challenge of being at the start line, getting through the different obstacles, being out of your comfort zone, taking on challenges that you wouldn’t in your ordinary, daily activities or, in fact, in a lifetime of activities.

“We have some pretty extreme obstacles that people wouldn’t ever, ever have the opportunity to undertake or overcome.”

Pictured are 3 participants just after completing the Adare to Survive 2016. Photo: David Woodland

He added that it is a great team-building exercise for companies and clubs: “And the big secret is that you are training prior to the event. It’s not just a one-day team building event; it spans over weeks before you go to the event.”

And there will be plenty of mud promised for all the participants: “There will be plenty of crawling, climbing and obstacles, from barbed wire to electric shocks, to water, to underground tunnels, to climbing 20-foot-high platforms, it is quite extreme.”

Cliona’s Foundation is once again the event’s charity partner, which has been part of Adare to Survive since its inception. And for those who wish to take part in the charitable run, you will be a member of the “Purple Platoon”, he said.

“Everybody who does it for Cliona’s Foundation will be given a t-shirt, and they will leave the start line together at 1 pm. So, you have this sea of purple running through the event, which is quite impressive. They are looking for support and looking to add numbers to their wave, and building it as big and best as they can,” Mr Nash explained.

Another key feature of this year’s obstacle course will be the Ultimate Survivor 15km obstacle, which entails completing the extreme course twice. Mr Nash said that a considerable number of people have already signed up for this.